Resources and Publications

Press Clippings Press clippings include printed editorials and letters written by the Cadre of Champions. Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster's Op-ed (March 2003): Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster opposes Wisconsin's Assembly Speaker's State Budget Review Task Force that recommends the elimination of the 4-year-old kindergarten program in Wisconsin.  She recommends a balanced state budget with a priority on young children. Superintendent Nancy Grasmick's Op-ed (June 2003): Superintendent Nancy Grasmick expresses her support for the re-authorization of Head Start bill, the School Readiness Act of 2003. Spotlight Articles Spotlight articles are publications written by Council staff. Project Description:As part of the Pew Charitable Trusts early education initiative, "Starting Early, Starting Strong," CCSSO will educate and serve its membership to build support among the chiefs for expansion of high quality, universal preschool opportunities for 3 and 4 year olds. Activist State Superintendent: Wisconsin State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster has vowed to make closing the achievement gap between racial groups and income disparities her number one priority during her administration. Burmaster is an advocate for a high quality universal 4 year-old kindergarten to bridge the achievement gap in her state. A Beacon in the South: LA 4 Early Childhood Program: This spotlight highlights the positive effects of Louisiana's LA 4 preschool program. For years, Cecil Picard has been a strong advocate for preschool education and has spearheaded the effort to create LA 4, a statewide preschool program for 4-year olds in Louisiana. LA 4 has produced dramatic results in the lives of thousands of children in Louisiana. Beautiful Minds: This article provides highlights from the early childhood and education discussions during CCSSO's Legislative Conference in March 2003 (to read the article, please see page 10 of the Council Quarterly). Benefits of Preschool for High School and Beyond: Three preschool studies, the High/Scope Perry Preschool Study, the Carolina Abecedarian Study, and the Chicago Parent-Child Center, show that high-quality preschool programs have long-term benefits, including a reduction in high school dropouts, grade retention, and incidents of juvenile arrests. Early Childhood Care and Education in the Midst of State Fiscal Woes: State budgets are dwindling, and preschool programs are trying to survive budget cuts and elimination. New York's recent battle to keep preschool programs alive is highlighted. Return on Investment- Professional Development for Preschool Teachers:  Preschool teachers provide young children with the developmentally appropriate learning experiences by applying their knowledge of early learning research to best meet the individual needs of students in their classrooms. High quality preschool programs have high quality teachers, and the quality of both pre-service and in-service training is of particular importance in the teacher’s knowledge of child development, significant correlates to developmental outcomes for children. Seeing It Through from Beginning to End: The importance of high quality preschool programs was presented through the lens of an early childhood education advocate Amy Wilkins and businessman Rob Mosbacher at CCSSO's 2003 Annual Policy Forum. Presentations Presentations include slides and documents created by Pew Partner organizations. Presentation from Amy Wilkins, Executive Director of the Trust for Early Education, to chief state school officers at CCSSO's 2003 Annual Policy Forum: The achievement gap is a critical issue surrounding low-income and minority students, but Ms. Wilkins shows that school readiness is an issue for all children.

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document last updated 8/21/2009